Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members in any doubt about such declarations are advised to contact Legal or Democratic Services in advance of the meeting

There were no declarations of interest made in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 6 July 2021

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 6 July 2021 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The notes of meetings of Advisory Boards are attached, any recommendations identified by an arrow being for determination by the Cabinet. Notices relating to any decisions already taken by Cabinet Members under the arrangements for delegated decision making have previously been circulated.

The notes of the meetings of the following Advisory Boards were received, any recommendations contained therein being incorporated within the decisions of the Cabinet reproduced at the annex to these Minutes.

-        Communities and Housing Advisory Board of 20 July 2021

-        Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board of 21 July 2021

-        Street Scene and Environment Services Advisory Board of 31 August 2021

-        Economic Regeneration Advisory Board of 1 September 2021

-        Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board of 15 September 2021

The minutes of meetings of Advisory Panels and Other Groups are attached, any recommendations being identified by an arrow.

The Notes of the meeting of the Joint Transportation Board held on 20 September 2021 are to follow.

The Minutes of the meetings of the following Advisory Panels and other Groups were received, any recommendations contained therein being incorporated within the decisions of the Cabinet reproduced at the annex to these Minutes.

-        Parish Partnership Panel of 2 September 2021

-        Tonbridge Forum of 6 September 2021

-        Joint Transportation Board of 20 September 2021

Item CH 21/29 referred from Communities and Housing Advisory Board of 20 July 2021

The reports to the Advisory Board were discussed in private so that the financial or business affairs of any particular person were not disclosed and therefore have not been attached.

Consideration was given to the recommendations from the Communities and Housing Advisory Board meeting held on 20 July 2021 (as set out at Minute Number CH 21/29).

RECOMMENDED:  That both the transfer of the site management and the construction of the building project proceed in accordance with the timescales outlined in the report.

*Referred to Council

Item FIP 21/55 referred from Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board of 15 September 2021

The reports to the Advisory Board were discussed in private so that the financial or business affairs of any particular person were not disclosed and therefore have not been attached.

Consideration was given to the recommendations from the Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board meeting held on 15 September 2021 (as set out at Minute Number FIP 21/55).

RECOMMENDED:  That Option 1 (to progress the current design) presented in the report be recommended as the preferred option to Council.

*Referred to Council

The report of the Director of Finance and Transformation summarises the recommendations of the Audit Committee meetings held on 26 July (AU 21/31) and 27 September (AU 21/43).

The Director of Finance and Transformation advised that details of treasury management activity undertaken during the period April to August of the current financial year plus the outturn for 2020/21 had been considered by the Audit Committee at meetings held on 26 July and 27 September 2021 (Minute number AU 21/31 and AU 21/43 refers).  The report invited Cabinet to recommend that Council note the outturn position for 2020/21, endorse the actions taken by officers in respect of treasury management activity and retain the current risk parameters.

RECOMMENDED:  That Council

(1)         note the £3m being applied to investment asset (diversified income) funds;

(2)         note the 2020/21 outturn position;

(3)         endorse the action taken by officers in respect of treasury management activity for the period April to August 2021; and

(4)         retain the existing parameters intended to limit the Council’s exposure to investment risks.

*Referred to Council

This report asks Members to consider the petition set up by Mrs Marie Wheatley in relation to an incident involving her son at Tonbridge Farm Sports Ground and to consider whether improvements to the existing CCTV provision are required.

Annex 2 is private and is attached under Part 2 of the agenda.

The report of the Director of Central Services and Monitoring Officer provided details of a petition set up by Mrs Marie Wheatley in relation to an incident involving her son at Tonbridge Farm Sports Ground and invited the Cabinet to consider whether improvements to the existing CCTV provision were required.  Details of the current CCTV provision were set out at Annex 2 (restricted) to the report.

RECOMMENDED:  That

(1)         the petition be accepted and noted; and

(2)         the CCTV provision currently in place continues with increased monitoring by the CCTV control room.  The Borough Council and Police to work together to address any incidents of anti-social behaviour reported to them.

A report relating to the Review of Tonbridge Forum and Parish Partnership Panel was considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 7 October 2021.

Due to the timescale and print deadline for Cabinet, recommendations arising from the Committee will be circulated to Members in advance of the meeting.

Consideration was given to the recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 7 October 2021 (as set out at Minute Number OS 21/23).

RECOMMENDED:  That

(1)         the proposed changes to Tonbridge Forum, as set out at section 1.2.4 of the report to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, be endorsed; and

(2)         the proposed changes to Parish Partnership Panel, as set out at section 1.3.2 of the report to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, be endorsed.

*Referred to Council

A report relating to Special Expenses Consultation was considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 7 October 2021.

Due to the timescale and print deadline for Cabinet, recommendations arising from the Committee will be circulated to Members in advance of the meeting.

Consideration was given to the recommendations from the Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board meeting held on 15 September 2021 (as set out at Minute Number FIP 21/48) and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 7 October 2021 (as set out at Minute Number OS 21/21).

RECOMMENDED:  That

(1)         the Special Expenses Policy should be updated to include the non-strategic public conveniences which are located in Tonbridge;

(2)         the Special Expenses Policy should not be updated to include Christmas lighting;

(3)         the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be invited to consider the position of public conveniences across the Borough.

*Referred to Council

Item FIP 21/52 referred from Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board of 15 September 2021

Decision Notice D210092CAB

Consideration was given to the recommendations from the meeting of the Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board of 15 September 2021 (as set out at Minute Number FIP 21/52).

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             the proposed sale of the open space land at River Lawn Road be discontinued.

A report updating on the Medium Term Financial Strategy having regard to the latest financial issues.   Cabinet is requested to note the update, and consider and implement a programme for investigating and identifying the necessary savings.

Decision Notice D210093CAB

The report of the Director of Finance and Transformation provided an update on the Medium Term Financial Strategy.  The Cabinet noted the current position and agreed that a programme for investigating and identifying options to achieve the necessary savings referenced in the report was required.

The Borough Council’s financial position remained significantly challenging and it was reported that the funding gap had increased to £2,150,000 based upon the information included within the report.  The Director of Finance and Transformation stressed that, to protect the integrity of the Medium Term Financial Strategy, all savings would need to be delivered by April 2026.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             the latest forecast of the Medium Term Financial Strategy and the funding gap of £2,150,000, as detailed in paragraph 1.2.17 of the report, be noted;

(2)             the income expectation from the introduction of charging for parking in the Aylesford, Martin Square and Snodland Car Parks be removed from the Medium Term Financial Strategy increasing the funding gap by a further £95,000 to a new total of £2,245,000;

(3)             subject to the deletion of the items relating to the Sale of River Lawn land and to new income from charging in Aylesford/Martin Square and Snodland Car Parks, the need to deliver as soon as possible the savings and/or transformation contributions already included in the Medium Term Financial Strategy, as set out in paragraph 1.2.5 of the report, be noted;

(4)             the savings and/or transformation contributions for Tranche 1 totalling £52,000, as set out in paragraph 1.3.2 of the report, be agreed;

(5)             further consideration be given to how the balance of £48,000 savings for Tranche 1 could be found; and

(6)             a programme for investigating and identifying the necessary savings for Tranches 2 – 5, now totalling £2,145,000 as a result of recommendation 2 above, be considered and implemented.

Item FIP 21/36 referred from Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board of 21 July 2021

Decision Notice D210094CAB

Consideration was given to the recommendations from the meeting of the Finance, Innovation and Property Advisory Board of 21 July 2021 (as set out at Minute Number FIP 21/36).

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             the customer services operation be moved from a drop-in reception service at both the Kings Hill and Castle reception points to a triaged pre-booked appointment service;

(2)             the Kings Hill reception and call centre opening times be changed to 09.00 hours to 17.00 hours Monday to Thursday and 09.00 hours to 16.30 hours on Friday, to align with Tonbridge Castle which already operates these hours; and

(3)             the KPR self service kiosks be removed and the Council move to a bar coded bill for those more vulnerable residents who are unable to pay through digital/phone methods.

A report relating to Northamptonshire County Council – Interventions Report was considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 7 October 2021.

Due to the timescale and print deadline for Cabinet, recommendations arising from the Committee will be circulated to Members in advance of the meeting.

Decision Notice D210095CAB

Consideration was given to the recommendations from the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 7 October 2021 (as set out at Minute Number OS 21/20).

RESOLVED:  That

(1)         the strategic review of cemetery charges, requested by Cabinet to go to Overview and Scrutiny Committee, be considered by the Communities and Housing Advisory Board instead and that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee give detailed consideration to the Interventions Report at its meeting to be held on 2 December 2021; and

(2)         the training programmes provided through the Local Government Association be explored with the appropriate Officer and all members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee encouraged to register for the LGA’s “Leadership Webinar on Scrutiny Essentials” to be held at 2.30pm on 22 November 2021.  The booking information and link to be circulated to Members.

A report relating to the review of Marketing and Promotion was considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 7 October 2021.

Due to the timescale and print deadline for Cabinet, recommendations arising from the Committee will be circulated to Members in advance of the meeting.

Decision Notice D210096CAB

Consideration was given to the recommendations from the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 7 October 2021 (as set out at Minute Number OS 21/22).

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             the proposed charging structure for billboards in respect of commercial and community organisations, as set out at section 1.4 to the report, be endorsed and no charge be made in respect of charity events;

(2)             the move to promotional and marketing materials to be available in digital formats only (in all but a limited number of exceptions) be endorsed;

(3)             the use of design agents to develop a corporate style and brand for the Borough Council be endorsed; and

(4)             further evaluation be undertaken to better integrate the Borough Council’s communication channels, looking at the possibility of future marketing and promotion to go via the Head of Communications.  Findings to be reported to the relevant Advisory Board/Committee in due course.

The Chairman to move that the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting during consideration of any items the publication of which would disclose exempt information.

The Chairman moved, it was seconded and

RESOLVED:  That as public discussion would disclose exempt information, the following matters be considered in private.

(Reason: LGA 1972 – Sch 12A Paragraph 7 – Prevention, investigation or prosecution of criminal offences)

Annex 2 to the report of the Director of Central Services and Deputy Chief Executive is attached for information. 

(LGA 1972 Sch 12A Paragraph 7 – Prevention, investigation or prosecution of criminal offences)

Annex 2 to the report of the Director of Central Services in respect of the Review of CCTV at Tonbridge Farm Sports Ground (Minute Number CB 21/80 refers)